Container for hams and the like



' 1,635,688 D. RALSTON communion was AND THE LIKE Filed June 10. 1926 Patented July 12,1927.

UNITED STATES DAVID s. RALSTON, 0 CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, Assrsnon r0 ALLIED PACKERS, INC, OF

.7 I CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CoItroEArIoN OF DELAWARE.

. CONTAINER Eon HAMS AND THE LIKE.

Application filed June 10,

This invention pertains to packing house equipment such as is used in the re-shaping of hams, and isparticularly concerned with a container of the 'type disclosed in the co. pending application of Joseph H. Appleton, Serial No.' 89,538.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved container of the type described which is easy to apply to a ham, and is constructed in such a way that the complementary sections of the same are retained in fixed relation to each other either when open or closed.

While. the foregoing statement is indicative in a general way of the nature of the invention, other objects'and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon a full understanding ofthe container construction. I

In order that the invention may be readily understood, one form of the same is presented herein, but it will of course be understood that such form is intended merely for the purpose of eXemplifica-tion, and is not to be considered as restricting the spirit'of the invention short of its true and intended p scope, as defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a top view of the container when open; l

Fig. 2 is anend view when open; Fig. 3 is a top view when closed; Fig. i is an end view when closed; and Figs. 5 and 6 are comparative views, showing a ham before and after being re-shaped in the container.

The container illustrated 1s of tubular form, and is composed of two generally semicylindrical sections 10, and 11 which are hinged together by means of a rod 12.

The section 10 of the container consists of a large number of stiff wire ribs 13 which extend circumferentially of the Container in spaced relation to each other. and are looped at, corresponding ends around the hinging rod 12. The looped ends of the ribs 13 are maintained in fixed relation to each otherby means of a reinforcing rodlt which is weld ed or soldered to the outer surfaces of the ribs adjacent the rod 12, and the intermediate portions of the ribs are alsomaintained in such relation by means ofalarger rod 15 which is secured in a similar mannerv to the ribs The free ends ofthe ribs 13 are curved less than those portions of the ribs be-,

1926. Serial No. 114,90l5.

tween the rods 14 and 15 and are reversely bent to form books 16 for a purpose hereinafter described.

The section 11 likewise consists of a large number of stiff wire ribs 17 which extend circumferentially of the container and are looped at corresponding ends around the rod 12 at points intermediate the looped ends of the ribs of the section 10. The looped ends of the ribs 17 are maintained in fixed relation to each other by a reinforcing rod 18, and

the free ends and intermediate portions of hooks 16 formed on the free ends of the ribs of the section 10 engage with the rod 19 and revent further separation between the lapped ribs of the sections, as shown in Fig.

2, and, when the container is closed, with the sections swung together to the extent necessary to produce a tubularjacket of the desired cross-sectional area, the free hooked ends of the ribs of the section 10 project further through the rectangular openings in the section 11 and beyond the rod 20 of that section, as shown in Fig. 1. The container construction above de: scribed permits the sections 10 and 11 to be swung easily into open or closed positions,

and maintains the ends of the ribs of the sections in alternating relation regardless of the extent to which the free hooked ends of the ribs of the section 10 may be bent toward or away from each other by the hard usage to which containers of this type are ordinarily subjected.

The container, after beingclosed about a ham or other piece of meat in a suitable press, may be held securely in its closed position by two ormore adjustable latching devices 21. Each of the devices 21 consists of an operating lever 22 which is pivotedto the rod 15 of the section 10, and a hook 23 which is pivoted at24: to the lever '22 and is pro v vided at its free end with a number of notches 25 for hooked engagement with the rod 19 of the section 11, the particular notch used being determined by the extent to which the container has been closed by the press. After the book 21 has been swung over into on 'agenient with the rod 19 the lever 22 is swung in the opposite direction until the point of connection :ll between the hook and the lcrer has passed beyond a dead center position relative to the centers of the rods 15 and it). in which position the latching device will not open iI'lGrZSlJGCllVG oi the force exerted thereon through the rods 15 and 19.

Alter the container has been closed and latched about a ham or other piece of meat, the container wit h the ham therein may be cozwenimrtly sualiended in the sinolre house by means oil? a heel: which is formed from an extension of the hinging rod 12.

I claim:

l. A container oi the character described, consieting of two hinged sectioi'is. each oi \Yllicli connioscd of a plurality of circnnil'erenlially extending wire ribs which lap op posite the hinging axis with the ribs ot' the oihnf section when the container is either open or closed.

ii con ..rner of the character described. cons-citing: of two hinged sections, ich of which is composed of a plurality of circinn- 'l'ertnitially extending wire ribs which lap opposite the hingi ing axis with the ribs of the other section, and means for lin'iiting the o1;- lent to which the sections may be Opened with the ribs in lapped relation.

3. A container of the character described, consisting; of two hinged sections. each of which is composed of a plurality of eircuni- .lerentiall r extending wire ribs which lap opposite the hinging axis with the ribs ot the other section and hooks 'l'ornied on the ends Off certain of the ribs for limitingthe extent to "which the container may be opened with the ribs in lapped relation.

:l. A container of the character described, consisting of a longitudinally extending hinge rod, a plurality oi wire ribs pivoted at correspondin5. ends to the rod with alternate ribs extending circ-nnitorentially from the same in one direction and intermediate ribs extending circilnil'erentially in the opposite direction, a longitudinally extending reinforcing rod connected with one set of ribs adjacent the free ends thereof, and a plurality of hooks formed. on the tree ends ot' the other set of ribs for engagement with the rein'hn'cing rod when the contaiiiicr is l'ully opened.

5. A container of the character described, consisting of a loingitudinally extending hinge rod, a plurality oi alternately long and short Wire ribs pivoted at corresponding ends to the rod with the long; ribs extending cir cninterentially from the name in one direction and the short ribs extending circinn'tercotially in the opposite direction into lapped relation with the ends of the long riba, a longitndinally extending reinforcing rod connected with the short ribs adjacent the free ends thereot, another longitudinally extend, ing reinforcing rod connected with the short: rihs adjacent the lirst mentioned ]'Gll1f()ltfl1l f rod but on the opposite side or the ends; of the lone ribs, and a plurality oi. hooks formed on the free ends of the long riba torengw'cnient with the first mentioned reinforcing rod when the container is fully opened.

flu testimony whereof I ha re hereunto nubscribed my name.

DAVl D l-TALSTON. 

